2027 Polls: CJN Warns Judges Against Political Manipulation Of Courts Kekere-Ekun Cautions Agai

Firdaus Obiremi

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has warned judges across the country against allowing politicians to manipulate the judiciary to gain undue advantage ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Kekere-Ekun urged heads of courts to guard against practices capable of undermining the integrity of judicial proceedings, particularly forum shopping, concealment of related cases and attempts to secure conflicting orders from courts of coordinate jurisdiction.

The CJN gave the warning on Monday while speaking at the opening of the 2026 roundtable for heads of courts, organised by the National Judicial Institute in Abuja.

She said the warning had become necessary as the country approaches another election season, when disputes over party primaries, candidate eligibility and election outcomes are likely to place considerable pressure on the judiciary.

According to her, political sensitivity, public sentiment and the urgency attached to election-related cases must not influence the interpretation and application of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and relevant court rules.

“Political sensitivity, public sentiment or the urgency with which a matter is presented must never displace the careful application of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the applicable rules of court,” she said.

The CJN urged heads of courts to establish appropriate administrative arrangements for the timely and orderly handling of election-related disputes, warning judicial officers against allowing urgent applications or ex-parte orders to become instruments for securing improper political advantages.

She also stressed the need for judges to demand full disclosure of relevant facts from litigants, examine applications carefully and take related proceedings into consideration before issuing orders.

Kekere-Ekun described forum shopping as particularly damaging to the judicial system, noting that the practice undermines consistency, encourages abuse of court processes and exposes the judiciary to avoidable public controversy.

“No litigant should be permitted to manipulate the judicial system in search of a favourable decision. Public confidence in the judiciary will be tested during this period,” she warned.

She said heads of courts had a responsibility to ensure that election-related cases were handled competently, expeditiously and strictly in accordance with the law, irrespective of the political interests involved.

The CJN maintained that the judiciary must remain an impartial arbiter of disputes, guided by evidence, the applicable law and the demands of justice rather than pressure from political actors or other external interests.

CJN tackles delays in justice delivery

Beyond election-related disputes, Kekere-Ekun identified delays in the determination of cases as one of the major challenges confronting the judiciary.

She said prolonged proceedings impose financial and emotional burdens on litigants, reduce the practical value of judicial remedies and weaken public confidence in the justice system.

While acknowledging that inadequate funding, infrastructure and judicial manpower contributed to delays, she said some of the problems could be addressed through effective court administration.

She identified inefficient docket management, repeated adjournments, poor scheduling and failure to monitor inactive cases as administrative shortcomings that unnecessarily prolong proceedings.

The CJN directed heads of courts to maintain accurate records of pending cases, including their age, categories and reasons for continued delays, to enable them to develop practical strategies for reducing case backlogs.

She, however, cautioned against measuring judicial efficiency solely by the number of cases disposed of, insisting that speed must not come at the expense of fairness and the right to a fair hearing.